Embodiments of the present invention relate to material unloaders typically used to remove material from containers. By way of example, some embodiments of the present invention relate to removal of material from grain elevators and/or to operation of such material unloaders.
Grain, other relatively free-flowing materials, and many other less free-flowing materials are frequently stored in silos or other storage structures (hereinafter referred to only as “silos”, regardless of shape or size) adapted for or otherwise capable of being unloaded from a bottom area via an unloader. A number of different bottom unloaders exist, many of which include a sweep auger that rotates within the silo. This rotating action helps to loosen the material within the silo, to move the material, and to ready the material for removal from the silo. In some cases, the stored material is delivered by the sweep auger to a central area of the silo where it falls into a silo outlet or into a trough leading to a silo outlet.
Many conventional unloader systems are limited in their ability to adapt to different material moving and removal conditions. For example, a conventional unloader may be well suited for moving and removing certain materials (e.g., material type, length, and density) under certain conditions (e.g., moisture content), while being poorly suited for moving and removing other materials in other conditions. This inconsistency can require increased operator attention in operating such an unloader, and can make the unloader more difficult to operate and to operate efficiently. Also, many types of materials stored in silos can become compacted and can therefore be relatively difficult to unload (e.g., ground ear corn, grain, meat meal, starch, hay, and the like). A buildup of compacted material makes moving and removing the material difficult, and requires a mechanism to help in these processes.